Martin Near
Countertenor Martin Near began his professional singing career at age ten, advancing to Head Chorister at Saint Thomas’s Fifth Avenue in New York City. He currently sings with Blue Heron, Vox Triniti, Boston Secession, Amiable Consort, and with the choir of the Church of the Advent. He has appeared as guest soloist with the Fromm Players at Harvard, Seraphim Singers, Boston Choral Ensemble, Exultemus, the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus, Andover Choral Society, and NotaRiotous. Trained in composition at the New England Conservatory, Mr. Near was composer and music director of the one act opera Six Characters in Search of an Opera for Project ARIA (AIDS Response by Independent Artists), which received five performances in Boston. He has been a soloist in numerous world premieres, including Temptation in the Desert by Elliott Gyger, written for Mr. Near and Seraphim Singers, On Prayer and Praying by Rodney Lister, written for Mr. Near and organist Ross Wood, and You Are There by Johanna Malone, a microtonal piece in 72-note equal temperament. Future projects include a debut as record producer for a recording of sacred music by Josquin des Prez and Marbrianus de Orto with the vocal ensemble Cut Circle, for release in 2009.
